Many medical devices require a lubricated surface. In the medical field, simple devices such as, for example, catheters, guide wires, etc., must be inserted into a body cavity or through the skin and at a later time be withdrawn. Patient treatment often includes catheterization procedures or nutrition delivery systems, most of which involve invasive techniques. In all such cases, effective lubrication which is stable throughout both the insertion and withdrawal stages of the procedure contributes greatly to patient comfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,315 discloses a method for preparing a shaped article, e.g. by co-extrusion, utilizing a composition including PEO and a polyurethane, which is not covalently cross-linked. The surface of the article is said to be lubricious when contacted with water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,835 discloses a method of preparing a coated hollow polymeric tubular member for a medical device by co-extruding the tube together with a coating.
The coating may comprise poly(ethylene oxide). The coating may also comprise acrylic monomers which may be reacted to form a cross-linked acrylic polymer network after extrusion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,558 discloses methods for making adhesive cross-linked poly(ethylene oxide) hydrogel sheets by cross-linking with electron beam radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,519 B1 and WO 2005/079883 A1 disclose a method for making cross-linked poly(ethylene oxide) hydrogels by grafting silanol-containing moieties onto a poly(ethylene oxide) chain. Cross-linking between poly(ethylene oxide) chains occurs by condensation reactions between silanol groups.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,247 B2 discloses a method for cross-linking by UV-irradiation of unsaturated functionalities present in poly(ethylene oxide) chains by having photo-initiators pendant on other poly(ethylene oxide) chains.
WO 03/086493 A1 and WO 2005/092402 disclose a method for cross-linking by UV-irradiation of unsaturated functionalities present in poly(ethylene oxide) chains by having photo-initiators and unsaturated functionalities present as end-groups in the poly(ethylene oxide) chains.
WO 2005/035607 A1 further discloses a method for making hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) compositions prepared by cross-linking by means of UV-irradiation of unsaturated functionalities present in poly(ethylene oxide) chains and having photo-initiators pendant on other poly(ethylene oxide) chains.